Method, apparatus and system for establishing signaling

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for establishing S1 signaling connections in an evolved network are disclosed. A source evolved NodeB (eNodeB) sends a handover request message to a target eNodeB to initiate a handover procedure during that a user equipment (UE) is handed over from the source eNodeB to the target eNodeB. The handover request message includes information about an original S1 signaling connection parameter. When the UE enters the target cell, the target eNodeB allocates a new S1 signaling connection parameter and sends a handover complete message to an evolved packet core (EPC). The handover complete messages carries the original S1 signaling connection parameter received from the source eNodeB and the allocated new S1 signaling connection parameter about the target eNodeB. With the present disclosure, the inability of the target eNodeB to establish an S1 signaling connection with the EPC in the related art is effectively solved.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for establishinq a signaling connection in a network during a handover of a user equipment (UE) from a first radio access network device to a second radio access network device, the method comprising:
 receiving during the handover, by a mobility management entity, from the second radio access network device a message comprising a first signaling connection parameter allocated by the mobility management entity and a second signaling connection parameter allocated by the second radio access network device, wherein the first signaling connection parameter is a mobility management entity communication context identifier, and the second signaling connection parameter is a radio access network device communication context identifier; 
 storing, by the mobility management entity, the second signaling connection parameter received from the second radio access network device; and 
 searching, by the mobility management entity, for an original communication instance according to the first signaling connection parameter. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending, by the mobility management entity, a reroute request message to a user plane entity; and 
 receiving, by the mobility management entity, from the user plane entity, a reroute response message to the mobility management entity, indicating completion of user plane route update. 
 
     
     
       3. A mobility management entity comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive, during a handover of a user equipment (UE) from a first radio access network device to a second radio access network device, a message from the second radio access network device, the message comprising a first signaling connection parameter allocated by the mobility management entity and a second signaling connection parameter allocated by the second radio access network device, wherein the first signaling connection parameter is a mobility management entity communication context identifier, and the second signaling connection parameter is a radio access network device communication context identifier; 
 a memory for storing the received second signaling connection parameter; 
 and the mobility management entity is further configured to search for an original communication instance according to the first signaling connection parameter. 
 
     
     
       4. The mobility management entity according to  claim 3 , wherein the mobility management entity is further configured to:
 send a reroute request message to a user plane entity; and 
 receive, from the user plane entity, a reroute response message to the mobility management entity, indicating completion of user plane route update. 
 
     
     
       5. An core network comprising:
 a mobility management entity capable of communicatively connecting with one or more radio access network devices including a first radio access network device and a second radio access network device, 
 wherein, during a handover of a user equipment (UE) from the first radio access network device to the second radio access network device, the mobility management entity is configured to:
 receive, from the second radio access network device, a message comprising a first signaling connection parameter allocated by the mobility management entity and a second signaling connection parameter allocated by the second radio access network device, wherein the first signaling connection parameter is a mobility management entity communication context identifier, and the second signaling connection parameter is a radio access network device communication context identifier; 
 store the received second signaling connection parameter; and 
 search for an original communication instance according to the first signaling connection parameter. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The core network according to  claim 5 , wherein the mobility management entity is further configured to:
 send a reroute request message to a user plane entity; and 
 receive, from the user plane entity, a reroute response message to the mobility management entity, indicating completion of user plane route update.